"War, Fascism, concentration camps, rubber truncheons, atomic bombs, etc., are what we daily think about, and therefore to a great extent what we write about, even when we do not name them openly. We cannot help this. When you are on a sinking ship, your thoughts will be about sinking ships." --George Orwell (1903-1950)[Thanks to Alex Constantine @ http://aconstantineblacklist.blogspot.com/]

Wednesday, May 5

New York City's Center for Constitutional Rights is fighting the good fight against media repression in Minnesota, where I guarantee you the majority of that state's majority residents oppose the seamy manner in which St. Paul law enforcement suppressed independent journalists who covered the 2008 Democratic National Convention.

Here's an email I received today from CCR Director of Education and Outreach Annette Dickerson.

Dear CCR Supporter,

Today, the Center for Constitutional Rights (CCR) with co-counsel De Leon & Nestor and Weil and Gotshal & Manges filed a federal lawsuitin the U.S. District Court of Minnesota against Minneapolis and St. Paul law enforcement on behalf of renowned independent journalists Amy Goodman, Sharif Abdel Kouddous and Nicole Salazar. The lawsuit arises from the unlawful and unreasonable arrest and the use of force against journalists covering protests and dissent around the 2008 Republic National Convention (RNC). Authorities arrested Goodman, Kouddous, and Salazar even though they posed no threat and were carrying out their duties and exercising their rights as journalists to document events surrounding the RNC and the activities of law enforcement.

The policies, practices and actions of federal and local law enforcement at the RNC are part of a larger civil liberties crisis that has been intensifying at an alarming rate over the past decade. Peaceful police-protestor interactions across the country have been met with brutal force by law enforcement, all while domestic surveillance activities by the government have increased dramatically. Individuals and activists are also given overblown and draconian sentences for constitutionally protected, lawful and peaceful conduct. Watch Amy Goodman discuss the filing on her show, Democracy Now!

These severe and unconstitutional practices cannot go unchallenged. Thank you for continuing to stand with us.